Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Wow, where did 2023 get off to?  Seems like it just got started and now its only a few days from being history. 

Not much is going on right now, things here in Simi Valley are wet, and mostly miserable. They say things should be a little bit less rainy on Christmas day.

Well, guess its time to get things ready for the big day, and I hope all of you are doing well and have things under control, both on the holiday front and the personal health front as well. 

As always, have a blessed day and please, Enjoy Your Trains.  Write or comment if the mood strikes.

John Huey

Fuel Needs of the Arizona Southern

 

Well it's that time of year again, here come the holidays, ready or not! Seems like when one set of issues end another jump right in to take their place. That aside, thinking of things on the railroad is maybe the only easy, fun, cool, or pleasant tasks as of late. Too many model items came at once this year and choices had to be made so we missed a few things that will hopefully be around again in a year or so.

One thing that became a consolation prize of sorts is Arizona Southern getting one of those American Limited Models GATC Welded Tank Cars lettered for Santa Fe. It will be seen around engine service from time to time when more fuel is needed. A great looking model, and I even have some images of how they looked in mid 1970's so my attempt at weathering will have some direction.

A friend of the railroad sent a photo showing how the cars looked in service circa 1975ish. Perfect example of what we hope our model may look like at some point.

Charlie Slater Photograph © 2023

Probably won't re-letter the one just purchased, but will try and get some of that aged grime showing on ours. We will add the ACI label and a consolidation stencil of some sort to the model as well.  This will be it for buying models for a while, seems some other items needing funds have cropped up unexpectedly and they can't really wait.

That is all for now, write if the mood strikes, or even just say hello.

Best wishes,

John Huey

Freight Cars Beyond The Roads We Connect With.

Collecting freight cars, whether painted at home or purchased from the many builders out in the hobby world, can be quite addictive. Trying to choose between what one likes and what one needs can also be quite difficult at times; there are many wonderful choices these days and the variety keeps growing.

Most of the time choices seem few and far between. We order and then wait until the cars arrive from the factory. That fact alone can cause issues as the money set aside can get used by an emergency; life goes ever on after all. Then as luck would have it, several builders all have the cars wished for arrive within days of each other. Being on a fixed income can really limit the funds available when this happens. Choices have to be made. 

Case in point are some more excellent 40' cars from Rapido, the GN cars that just dropped are gorgeous, models remembered from being trackside back in the day.

Of course these are like potato chips, can't get by with just one and well, they do look great and work well into your operations, so you order two to help cost average the shipping charges.

And then Intermountain, who is running late forever it seems, ships something ordered two years ago, well, what is a mother to do?

So out goes the cash and in comes the cars. The costs have gone up, but so has the quality and detail of the builds. Took some soul searching to justify the higher costs, but then life is short and the time to duplicate the modern build quality is just not on ones side any more.

Thanks for reading along, drop a message if the mood strikes or just say hello.

Best wishes,

John Huey

CEO Arizona Southern RR

The New Tangent Order Has Shipped!

 Howdy friends,

Just got an email from the good folks at Tangent Scale Models. It was great news too. The message said:  "Thank you for your order from Tangent Scale Models! We wanted to let you know that your order was shipped via USPS Priority Mail on 10/10/2023."  Heck just placed the order Saturday October 7th and here we are on the 10th at noon and they are shipping my cars already.

 

How Nice!

Why am I excited? Well in my modeling sphere there a few items considered as "grail" type bits of equipment. The first is the Alco S6, the second is the 100 ton 40' cars SP used in Copper Service, next an Alco C415, and number four is the once common 40' Yellow Stripe Door boxcars which Tangent just released in HO Scale.

Not only is this style car good for plywood, lumber, and such, but in a slightly different lettering version, it was also used in copper bar service according to what I am reading online. Looks like there will be several more of these 40' cars finding a home on the Arizona Southern in the not so distant future. Below is a shot I took on the Tehachapi loop late in 1979, it was moving and it was a surprise, so it is what it is. 

SP Copper Service XM back in regular service circa 1979.

Well, all the above is not written in stone yet depending on current events, and assuming things in the news don't get too much more insane or intense. Watching terrible things takes the fun out most things for me; even this hobby is no exception.

We at the Arizona Southern hope you are doing well and all is happy in your world. If I had a wish, I'd wish for calmer heads to prevail on the planet. Thanks for reading this, feel free to comment if the mood strikes you. Really, even just say hello, we'd appreciate it.

Best wishes,

John Huey